An Incense Stick Worth Rs 1 lakh
-Orkay makes super premium luxury hand-made incense sticks
-Industrialists, politicians, officers, judges, movie stars are the customers
In India, incense sticks are used as an everyday item for worship and to scent the house. Some fragrance enthusiasts prefer premium incense sticks, but even in premium segment, the traditional handmadeincense sticks of super premium luxury quality are manufactured only byOrkay Fragrance. The most expensive incense sticks of Orkay Fragrance is priced at Rs 1,00,000 per piece. Apart from this, there are also products of 6500, 12500, 25,000 and 50,000 rupeesperincense stick. Politicians, industrialists and other VVIPs are fond of these priceless incense stick products. In addition to these super premium luxury products, the company also manufactures affordable premium products for the hobbyists. Orkay’s cheapest incense sticks cost Rs 150 for a pack of 10 sticks followed by Rs.550 and Rs.1000 per packet.
Chintamani to Bengaluru
Sharing the history of the company with Sugandh India, Nagaraj Palasamudram, Head of Orkay Fragrances, said that his grandfather, Mr. P V Venkata Subbaiah Shetty, used to run the Sri Srinivasa Incense sticks Company in a small village called Chintamani, 60 km from Bengaluru. In 1956 the family moved to Bengaluru and the business expanded further. In 1985, Nagraj started Orkay Fragrance with the ‘Snake Brand’ trademark logo. He informed that he is the third generation in the incense sticks business and is running the company along with his brother Mr. Ravi Kumar. He points out that Chintamani is the region from where most of the big incense sticks manufacturers have come. 70 percent of the people in Bengaluru’s incense sticks industry are from this region, as Bengaluru was the center for transport facilities and availability of raw materials.
Brief History of Incense Sticks
Mr. Palasamudram told that his grandfather, father and he himself have all been in traditional handmadeincense sticks manufacturing. The making of traditional handmade incense sticks started back in Thanjavur in the beginning of the 20th century. Originating from Thanjavur, incense sticks were made in a very traditional way. It was manufactured in small quantities but as a product of very high quality and was offered to temples and the Royal family. After that the incense sticks was also presented to the Maharaja of Mysore and he became a fan of it. Over the time, more people becameincense stickmanufacturers and the industry was established in Mysore and Bengaluru. He told that from the 19th century, the present form of incense sticks had come to the fore and it started being exported to foreign countries as well. It was given as a gift to the foreigners who came to India. He said that sandalwood trees are found in large numbers around Mysore. The western ghats in Karnataka and have been the biggest producers. The sandal wood here is considered number one in the world followed by Australia and then the Caribbean countries. Sandalwood oil has been widely used as medicine. The older the sandalwood tree, the more effective its oil.
Less Quantity More Quality
Nagraj told that when he entered the business, he further upgraded the heritage and skill of the ancestors in making incense sticks. Till the year 2011, the company used to manufacture economic and premium segmentincense sticks, but in the last 8-10 years we have started manufacturing super premium luxury quality. Being a luxury product,it is not made in large volumes nor is it sold on a large scale. In that only the company benefits a lot and people also get the best product. He said that his handmade luxury incense sticks contain 110 types of herbs, fragrances and oils, all of which are used naturally. Orkay has 120 to 130 products across the country, while more than 300 incense stick products are exported abroad. Nagraj told that he has 2 main brands whose sales are high. One for Rs 150 per packetcontaining 15sticks and comes in 12 different fragrancesand the other isfor Rs 550 per packet containing 10 sticks and comes in 10 sticks. Apart from this, other items are very expensive products, which are produced only on demand. An incense stick worth Rs 50,000 was launched in Ahmedabad and now we have launched an incense stick worth Rs 1 lakh in Mumbai. He told that due to being an expensive and value product, he does not have many distributors. 8 years ago they had around 400 distributors, but now only 40-50 distributors. Back then they would purchase 20 cartons from us BUT now only 1-2. The cost of one carton of other incense stick brands is 4000 rupees, while ours costs 60000 rupees. That’s why the distributors take the goods only when there is a demand and moreover the whole business is based on advance. He told that mostly there is counter sale but online companies like Amazon, Flipkart also sell. Their products are sold pan India with major markets being Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Delhi and Mumbai. People pay a heavy price for it, so we also do not compromise on quality at any cost.
Many politicians including KCR, Jayalalithaa and other VVIPs and industrialists are customers
On the question regarding the demand for such expensive incense sticks, he said that our products are in demand among a specific customer segment. Politicians, Judges, IAS officers, big industrialists, etc. are our clients. VVIP people like to offer our expensive incense stick to God. Big jewelers light our incense sticks in their big showrooms to make the customer can feel the pleasant. Our incense sticks worth Rs 6250 were lit daily at the residence of former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Late Jayalalitha ji. The Chief Minister of Hyderabad Shri KCR had used our incense sticks in his grandHavan. Leaders prefer to give our incense sticks instead of other items like shawls as gifts. Our incense sticks are of such premium quality that if lit at the counter of a showroom that has four floors and there is a centralized AC, then the fragrance will spread throughout the building and moreover the fragrance remains throughout the day. If an incense stick worth Rs 25,000 is lit in floor ofone lakh square feetarea, then its fragrance remains for 4 days. This incense stick has a burning time of 2 hours. If our incense stick worth Rs.550 is lit in a flat of 1500 square feet, then its fragrance will remain for 4 days. The demand for the Rs 550 product has increased among people in parties, offices, malls, showrooms and mansions. Apart from this, the company also manufactures Roll on perfume that is priced at Rs.550. Its fragrance stays on your clothes even after washing them forthree times. We have inherited the knowledge of our forefathersfrom our father and grandfather in form of a legacy. We have fused this knowledge with modern techniques and advance methods and presented to our customers.
Customers love Orkay products
On asking about marketing such expensive products, Nagraj said that initially we faced issues with the distributors due the high price of the products, but then we started sending free samples along with our other products. As our products reached the customers through free sampling, they liked it and started demanding it.This made the shopkeepers confident and we started getting orders. To our surprise, the customers after using our high-quality incense sticks started asking if there is something even better? This motivated us to curate expensive products. We made an incense stick worth Rs.50,000 followed by the one worth Rs.1 lakh. He said that the 550 rupees packetcomes in lavender, sandal, jasmine, champa, rose and violet. People started asking for more enhanced quality in sandalwood and thus we started making very high quality masala incense sticks. To maintain the quality, we get it made under our supervision and I also do its blending. Our factory building is in anarea of 26000 square feet with 65 workers including 27 female workers.
Export markets demand Quality with mild fragrance
On asking if Orkay products are in demand abroad, Nagraj said that due to the cold weather in foreign countries, strong fragrancesare not liked there. We have started Namaste India brand for export markets. People abroad prefer mild and natural fragrances. The environment of India is such that strong fragranceswork here. This is also becauseforeigners generally don’t even have spices like us in their foods. In India, Incense sticksare mostly used in worship, but people in foreign countries use them as room freshener. He told that since all our products are natural, there is no restriction on exports. People don’t mind paying the premium price as Orkay products are high on quality.
Supporting the construction of Asha Kiran Dialysis Center
Nagaraj Palasamudram has always been active in the ‘All India Agarbathi Manufacturers Association’. He told that in 1995 he became the Executive Member, then in 2002 became the Vice President and then from 2004 to 2005 he was the President. He is also the director of ‘Karnataka State Agarbathi Manufacturers Cooperative Society’. This society is affiliated to the Karnataka State Government with 3 members from the state government in a 12-member committee, which takes all the decisions. Apart from this, he has also extended his support for the construction of Asha Kiran Dialysis Centerby ‘Mysore Oodabatti Manufacturers Charitable Trust’. This Dialysis center offers free service to the needy.
The President of Nigeria is also a regular customer
Orkay Fragrances has its popularity abroad as well. The President of Nigeria orders Orkay’s premium brand incense sticks every month. He buys 40-50 packets of incense sticks per month and the company supplies them from Delhi. The president has a food grain related business in Delhi. So their Delhi office orders Orkay’s premium products every month and then ships them from there.
